Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has pledged government support for a newly developed Ijaw language application, Dayama Demo, as part of efforts to preserve and revive the language.

Diri made the commitment on Monday at the Ijaw Language Awareness Summit held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, as part of activities marking Bayelsa State’s 30th anniversary.

The summit, themed “Reviving the Izon Language: Heritage, Our Identity, Our Future,” focused on efforts to address the declining use of Ijaw, particularly among younger people.

The governor urged parents to take greater responsibility for teaching their children the language, encouraging families to use their mother tongue as the primary means of communication at home.

He also directed the Commissioner for Education to organise Ijaw language quizzes and debates in primary and secondary schools across the state.

Diri announced that the language awareness programme would be institutionalised and held annually, with the Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs responsible for coordinating future editions.

He said the following year’s programme would be expanded to involve more families and stakeholders.

The governor stressed that preserving Ijaw identity should extend beyond language to include traditional dressing, cuisine, customs and other aspects of cultural heritage.

He also urged the Ijaw National Congress to collaborate with the state government on the language revival initiative and work towards reactivating the Prof. Kay Williamson Centre at Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area.

Diri recalled that efforts to promote the language received government support under his predecessor, Seriake Dickson, who in 2018 initiated the adoption of the Kolokuma dialect as the central language and the recruitment of 200 teachers to teach it in public schools.

Earlier, Dr Felix Tuodolo identified the declining use of Ijaw in homes as a major threat to the language’s survival. He also cited the preference for other indigenous languages and the removal of Izon from the list of official languages in Nigeria as factors affecting its status.

The summit convener, Ijaw musician Asu Ekiye, called for formal recognition of the Ijaw Language Resuscitation Initiative and the establishment of a focal unit to coordinate its activities.

He also proposed the documentation of Ijaw oral histories, songs, proverbs and stories, as well as the establishment of language clubs and networks of language champions in schools.

The event featured cultural performances and recognition of individuals who had contributed to promoting the Ijaw language, culture and traditions.